The invention relates to a steam iron comprising a housing, a soleplate, a steam chamber, heating means for heating the soleplate and the steam chamber, a water reservoir having a front part which extends up to a location in the front of the iron, which water reservoir has an outlet opening situated in the front part of the water reservoir, said outlet being connected to a metering space and said metering space opening into the steam chamber via a metering valve.
During ironing of a fabric a user frequently puts the steam iron away in a rest position. This is usually effected by upending the iron, so that it occupies a more or less vertical position. This short period after each ironing operation is used for rearranging the fabric to be ironed, after which the iron is picked up again and brought into a horizontal position for ironing. Cordless irons are known which, when no ironing takes place, are placed onto a stand in order to warm up. The irons are then placed on an inclined surface oriented at an angle of 40.degree. to 50.degree. to the horizontal. An inclined position is necessary to prevent water from the water reservoir from flowing into the steam chamber, as a result of which the iron would continue to produce steam while not in use. Generally, such an iron also comprises a ball valve, which shuts off the supply to the steam chamber when the iron is placed in an inclined position. These ball valves do not always function correctly and fairly often block the influx of water to the steam chamber during ironing.